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Preserving(rec.food.preserving) Devoted to the discussion of recipes, equipment, and techniques of food preservation. Techniques that should be discussed in this forum include canning, freezing, dehydration, pickling, smoking, salting, and distilling.

When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either. I did find Fruit
Fresh (a gold by-product) that contains ascorbic acid. However, it
contains dextrose and other %%$#. I thought I saw a comment that it
wasn't a good substitute for the ascorbic acid.

I want to start drying before winter (possibly next week here) so I
will use the Fruit Fresh.

I expect the lemon juice shortage is temporary, but I would like to
know where folks usually find ascorbic acid.

ljp wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either. I did find Fruit
Fresh (a gold by-product) that contains ascorbic acid. However, it
contains dextrose and other %%$#. I thought I saw a comment that it
wasn't a good substitute for the ascorbic acid.

I want to start drying before winter (possibly next week here) so I
will use the Fruit Fresh.

I expect the lemon juice shortage is temporary, but I would like to
know where folks usually find ascorbic acid.
At the drugstore. Just ask for it, it is Vitamin C. If they only have
tablets, just crush them.
Ellen

When I dry apples I don't pre-treat with anything. I fill the trays as
I go and put them in the dehydrater. Mostly my apples are quite light
colored.
Connie TC
ljp wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either. I did find Fruit
Fresh (a gold by-product) that contains ascorbic acid. However, it
contains dextrose and other %%$#. I thought I saw a comment that it
wasn't a good substitute for the ascorbic acid.

I want to start drying before winter (possibly next week here) so I
will use the Fruit Fresh.

I expect the lemon juice shortage is temporary, but I would like to
know where folks usually find ascorbic acid.

ljp wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either. I did find Fruit
Fresh (a gold by-product) that contains ascorbic acid. However, it
contains dextrose and other %%$#. I thought I saw a comment that it
wasn't a good substitute for the ascorbic acid.
I use Fruit Fresh for pre-treating white fruit that is to be dehydrated
or canned with no problems.

I want to start drying before winter (possibly next week here) so I
will use the Fruit Fresh.

I expect the lemon juice shortage is temporary, but I would like to
know where folks usually find ascorbic acid.
Ascorbic acid is Vitamin C, go to the drug store or market and get some
1000 milligram vitamin C tablets and grind them up and mix with water.

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:33:33 -0700 (PDT), ljp
wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either. I did find Fruit
Fresh (a gold by-product) that contains ascorbic acid. However, it
contains dextrose and other %%$#. I thought I saw a comment that it
wasn't a good substitute for the ascorbic acid.

I want to start drying before winter (possibly next week here) so I
will use the Fruit Fresh.

I expect the lemon juice shortage is temporary, but I would like to
know where folks usually find ascorbic acid.

If you can't find lemon juice, try orange juice. I frequently use it
since it is easier to find than lemon juice.

Limes can be even acider, and interesting differments in taste. Or
pineapple juice, or grapefruit juice (either sweetened or unsweetened, gag -
no high fructose corn syrup, please!) Think about apple cider vinegar in the
water? Just a think there, I've never done it. Or light wines, better the
ones that make your nose wrinkle - the pH test you know. Apple jack?
bourbon? Tequila? To the devil with prissy white apple chips, lets have
somethin' with some *flavor.*
Down here we get dried fruits sprinkled with chili powder (the mix, check
them *&^% added ingredients, usually salt is the first item), powdered chile
(the real deal - chipotle or green chile anyone?), and/or sugar with various
flavorings.
I had some absoluter wonderful applewoodsmoked chipotle in Sante Fe once
with Christine. That stuff was fab! To diet for, dahling.
I think you may have created a monster.
Edrena

The Joneses wrote:
"Brian Mailman" wrote in message
m...
ljp wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either.
Have you looked inside a lemon?

B/

Limes can be even acider, and interesting differments in taste. Or
pineapple juice, or grapefruit juice (either sweetened or unsweetened, gag -
no high fructose corn syrup, please!) Think about apple cider vinegar in the
water? Just a think there, I've never done it. Or light wines, better the
ones that make your nose wrinkle - the pH test you know. Apple jack?
bourbon? Tequila? To the devil with prissy white apple chips, lets have
somethin' with some *flavor.*
Down here we get dried fruits sprinkled with chili powder (the mix, check
them *&^% added ingredients, usually salt is the first item), powdered chile
(the real deal - chipotle or green chile anyone?), and/or sugar with various
flavorings.
I had some absoluter wonderful applewoodsmoked chipotle in Sante Fe once
with Christine. That stuff was fab! To diet for, dahling.
I think you may have created a monster.
Edrena

Actually, UofGA says to use bottled lemon juice as it has a standard pH
versus a squeezed lemon that you don't know what the pH is. That was a
test question.

"George Shirley" wrote in message
.. .
The Joneses wrote:
"Brian Mailman" wrote in message
m...
ljp wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either.
Have you looked inside a lemon?

B/

Limes can be even acider, and interesting differments in taste. Or
pineapple juice, or grapefruit juice (either sweetened or unsweetened,
gag - no high fructose corn syrup, please!) Think about apple cider
vinegar in the water? Just a think there, I've never done it. Or light
wines, better the ones that make your nose wrinkle - the pH test you
know. Apple jack? bourbon? Tequila? To the devil with prissy white apple
chips, lets have somethin' with some *flavor.*
Down here we get dried fruits sprinkled with chili powder (the mix,
check them *&^% added ingredients, usually salt is the first item),
powdered chile (the real deal - chipotle or green chile anyone?), and/or
sugar with various flavorings.
I had some absoluter wonderful applewoodsmoked chipotle in Sante Fe
once with Christine. That stuff was fab! To diet for, dahling.
I think you may have created a monster.
Edrena

Actually, UofGA says to use bottled lemon juice as it has a standard pH
versus a squeezed lemon that you don't know what the pH is. That was a
test question.

but either or would be OK for stopping something from browning, right? So I
should only be concerned when using it to balance the ph, right? That
means use bottle lemon juice when lemon juice is called for in a recipe, but
a fresh squeezed lemon or lime would do when stopping something from turning
brown...

B/
Limes can be even acider, and interesting differments in taste. Or
pineapple juice, or grapefruit juice (either sweetened or unsweetened,
gag - no high fructose corn syrup, please!) Think about apple cider
vinegar in the water? Just a think there, I've never done it. Or light
wines, better the ones that make your nose wrinkle - the pH test you
know. Apple jack? bourbon? Tequila? To the devil with prissy white apple
chips, lets have somethin' with some *flavor.*
Down here we get dried fruits sprinkled with chili powder (the mix,
check them *&^% added ingredients, usually salt is the first item),
powdered chile (the real deal - chipotle or green chile anyone?), and/or
sugar with various flavorings.
I had some absoluter wonderful applewoodsmoked chipotle in Sante Fe
once with Christine. That stuff was fab! To diet for, dahling.
I think you may have created a monster.
Edrena

Actually, UofGA says to use bottled lemon juice as it has a standard pH
versus a squeezed lemon that you don't know what the pH is. That was a
test question.

but either or would be OK for stopping something from browning, right? So I
should only be concerned when using it to balance the ph, right? That
means use bottle lemon juice when lemon juice is called for in a recipe, but
a fresh squeezed lemon or lime would do when stopping something from turning
brown...

The Fruit Fresh didn't do much to keep the apple pieces from
browning. Cored, immersed in slightly stronger than recommended
solution for 10 minutes +, drained, put on dehydrator trays, brown by
the time the next batch was ready.

I found some absorbic acid at a wine making supply shop, only 20 gm
packets for an exorbitant price.

I think I'll try the next batch untreated.

I broke down and bought a "large" jelly bag (if this is large the
small must be for individual grapes) snap lids, and rubber rings. The
rubber rings are just a little cheaper than the lids. I'll use the
rubber rings as back up. I've never had a problem with them.
However, I always use tested rings

In article ,
George Shirley wrote:
ljp wrote:
When drying apples I'm supposed to pre-treat with ascorbic acid or
lemon juice. I'm having trouble finding either. I did find Fruit
Fresh (a gold by-product) that contains ascorbic acid. However, it
contains dextrose and other %%$#. I thought I saw a comment that it
wasn't a good substitute for the ascorbic acid.
I use Fruit Fresh for pre-treating white fruit that is to be dehydrated
or canned with no problems.

I want to start drying before winter (possibly next week here) so I
will use the Fruit Fresh.

I expect the lemon juice shortage is temporary, but I would like to
know where folks usually find ascorbic acid.
Ascorbic acid is Vitamin C, go to the drug store or market and get some
1000 milligram vitamin C tablets and grind them up and mix with water.

Vitamin C (and other) supplements almost always have non-active
ingredients like stearic acid, magnesium stearate, cellulose, etc. (I'm
used to reading ingredients since I have to avoid all forms of gluten)
I don't know how these other ingredients would figure in the preserving
mix.

C supplements also often have other active ingredients and there are a
multitude of those. In addition, not all vitamin C is ascorbic acid
based. There's beta-carotene, vitamin C complex, rose hips, and a bevy
of different forms.

It might be worthwhile to find out if ascorbic acid in gelatin capsules
might be more pure. It would certainly be easier to just open the
capsule than grinding up a tablet.

In article ,
George Shirley wrote:
Actually, UofGA says to use bottled lemon juice as it has a standard pH
versus a squeezed lemon that you don't know what the pH is. That was a
test question.

And I was very surprised to see the Sure€Jell instruction leaflet
specify fresh-squeezed lemon juice. I think they used to specify
bottled. I wonder why they changed the rec.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJhttp://web.mac.com/barbschaller, blahblahblog is back and
most recently updated last night, 8-17-2008. Fair entries are DONE!

In article ,
"Kathi Jones" wrote:
"George Shirley" wrote in message
Actually, UofGA says to use bottled lemon juice as it has a standard pH
versus a squeezed lemon that you don't know what the pH is. That was a
test question.

but either or would be OK for stopping something from browning, right?

Sure. It doesn't require a lot of acid, IME. When I was peeling
peaches, I used a glug of white vinegar in the water. Did not affect
flavor.
kathi
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJhttp://web.mac.com/barbschaller, blahblahblog is back and
most recently updated last night, 8-17-2008. Fair entries are DONE!